SLEEPING QUARTERS.

[Snoodydoody]

I have just re homed a 4 yr old black and white bitch who is adorable.      as her owners circumstances have changed.
She lived and slept with other cockers whilst living with her previous owner.

My other 3 cockers sleep upstairs and have done since they were toilet trained.
I dare say if we put them back into the kitchen at bedtime there would be a lot of howling and scrating as they aren't used to it and I do have the neighbours to think about. 

The problem here is that she has come from living in a bungalow to living in a house with stairs and she doesn't know how to climb them, bless her. We have tried coaxing her up and she tries but gets very stressed out because she cannot get up and I don't really want to start carrying her up and down.

The lady where I got her from said that if I put her in the kitchen on her own at night she will think she has all the privileges and think she is top dog which I don't want to happen as we already have a top dog and I don't want two!  She would be sleeping in a crate.


Heather.

[Jane S]

The lady where I got her from said that if I put her in the kitchen on her own at night she will think she has all the privileges and think she is top dog which I don't want to happen as we already have a top dog and I don't want two!  She would be sleeping in a crate.

I don't think this is likely at all, sorry to disagree. If your new girl comes from a home with other dogs and is suddenly made to sleep on her own, she's likely to feel very insecure and anxious, especially as she does not know you or her new home yet. I've had dogs stay with us who were not used to stairs or steps (we have lots of steps connecting our various bits of land) but they soon got used to them. Yes you may have to carry her initially but gentle encouragement (and tasty treats in your hand) work wonders - she'll also see your other dogs trotting upstairs and will want to join them, a powerful incentive You just need to give her time really

[Nicola]

I'm fostering a 3 year old working labrador called Brook just now and she had been kept outside in kennels prior to coming to me. When she first saw the stairs she had no idea how to climb them but within a few days she very gingerly ventured up them and even more gingerly down again and within a week or so she could tackle them like a pro. I didn't force her or even particularly encourage her, I just let her do it in her own time. As Jane said, it was seeing me and the cockers go upstairs that incentivised her to try it. She is also sleeping in the kitchen with my oldest cocker Tilly (also 3) and they are absolutely fine, she certainly has no 'top dog' aspriations, in fact quite the opposite.